Ironer



Sept. 3, 1940. J. J. MccABE IRONER Filed April e, 195s lik, SN

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l llll INVENTOR .1m-1N .LMEEAB E.

Sept- 3, 1940.- 1J. MCCABE 2,213,634

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Filed April 6, 1933 A 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 so INVENTOR ...TD1-1N LME BABE.

BWQQ@ v 11's ATToR Y Patented Sept. 3, 1940y PATENT OFFICE IRONER.

John J. McCabe, Cleveland, Ohio. assignor to The Apex Electrical Manufacturing Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of h10 Application April 6,1933, serial 10,664,765

14 Claims.

This invention relates to ironing machines and in particular machines of the type employing a rotatable padded member and a heated member to form the ironing elements of the machine, one

of the same being laterally movable with respect to the other for eiecting ironing pressure between the ironing elements.

`Among the objects of this invention relating to ironing machine constructions are the following: the provision of a highly efcient mechanism of low power constunption whereby a small power unit may be used; the provision of an improved safety release for quickly separating the ironing members of the machine; the provision of an improved means for controlling and effecting the rotation of the roll; the provision of an improved means for laterally shifting the rotatable roll;

the provision of an improved means for providing for resilient ironing engagement between the provision of an improved form of ironer shoe construction; the provision of an improved roll supporting member; and the provision of animproved shoe support and safety release.

With these and other objects in view, the inventionconsists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts, hereinafter illustrated and described in some of its embodiments in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a sectional view taken on broken line I l, Figure 2 of an ironing .machine illustrating one mode of practicing the invention; Figure 2 is a' sectional View taken on broken line 2 2, Figure 1 showing the elements of the machine in ironing position; Figure 3 is a sectional View taken on broken line 3 3, Figure 1; Figure 4 is a detail View similar to Figure 2 and showing the roll and shoe separated from each other; Figure 5 is an enlarged detail view of the ironer clutch; Figure 6 is a. sectional View taken on line 6 6, Figure 5; Figure 7 is a detail perspective view of some of the mechanism provided to control the rotation of the roll; and

Figure 3 showing the details of the safety release for the ironer shoe.

'Ihe machine shown in the drawings-comprises I Cil Figure 8 is a sectional view taken on line 8 8,

the underside of which supports a. motor 6 which is provided for operating the machine and the upper side of which provides a work receiving surface. I

This machine is of the type in which a rotatable roll is bodily movable toward and away from a heated ironing member and the elements of the mechanism for effecting both the rotation and the lateral movement of the roll are housed, some within the gear case 3 and others within the roll itself. 'Ihe roll maybe formed from a sheet metal cylinder l, which is journaled for rotation about a generally oval supporting tube t, secured at one end in a hollow inwardly projecting b oss l0 formed in the gear case 3.

The end of the tube remote from the gear case is unsupported vand it permits the provision of what is known as a full open end ironer for facilitating the use and operation of the machine in performing the more dimcult ironing operations, as for example the ironing of mens dress shirts and the ironing of rumed articles of wearing apparel.

The mechanism in the case 3 is operatively connected to the motor t by means of a belt il and the associated motor and mechanism pulleys i2 and i3 respectively. The pulley i3 is carried by Va shaft ll journaled at one end in a plain bearing l5 formed in aboss it carried by the gear case 3. The other end of the shaft is journaled in an anti-friction bearing il carried in a wall of the gear housing, an oil seal i 8 being provided outside the anti-friction bearing to prevent the escape of lubricant from the gear case. A cap 2G holds the seal in place.

A worm 2i carried by the shaft l@ meshes with -a worm gear 22; The worm gear is secured by means of a pin 33 to a short shaft 2t which is journaled at one endina bearing formed in a boss 25 of the gear case. The other end of this shaft is journaled in a supporting member 2B l which is secured at its opposite ends by the bolts 21 to the gear case. The shaft 2t extends through a wall of the gear case and is provided with an oil seal 28 of similar construction to the wormV shaft seal to prevent the escape of lubricant at this point.A The worm gear 22 may conveniently be formed from a standard spur gear having the center portion 3@ of the opposite faces of each tooth hobbed a slight amount for the accommoda-l tion of the worm 2l, the end parts of the gear teeth being unhobbed.

I A gear 3| journaled'on a stub shaft 32 carried by a member 33 mounted for movement about the lll axis of a shaft 34, is provided for selective meshing engagement with the worm gear 22. When the gears 22 and 3| are in meshing engagement the faces of the teeth of the gear 3| contact only with the unhobbed portions of the teeth of the gear 22, the teeth of these gears being of sumcient width to quietly and eiliciently take the load imposed upon them. This arrangement permits the use of a. Worm gear both as a reduction gear and as a driving gear.

To one side of the gear 3| there is xed a pinion which is coaxial therewith. The pinion 35 meshes at all times with a gear 36 which is se` cured to the shaft 34 by means of the pin 31, the

pinion being maintained in mesh with the gear 36 by means of the supporting member 33 which as has been previously stated is journaled for oscillation about the axis of the gear 36 by mechanism which will be described in detail presently.

The shaft 34 is journaled in a suitable bearing. member 38 carried within the tube 8 and it is provided with a portion which extends beyond the bearing member a slight distance. A slotted coupling 40 is pinned at 4| to the extended portion of the shaft. A roll driving shaft 42 is received in the coupling member 48. This shaft is provided with a pin 43 which is received within the slots of the coupling and it constitutes therewith a universal joint for one end of the shaft 42. 'The opposite end of the roll driving shaft is provided with a similar pin 43 which is received within the slots of the coupling member 44. 'I'his coupling member is journaled for rotation in a bearing 45 formed intermediate the length of a roll supporting member 46 and at its opposite end the end coupling member 44 is flxedly secured to an end cap 41 of the roll by means of a bolt 46.

The member 46 is oscillatably supported by a pin 41 which is carried by the bracket 48 of a member 58 xedly carried on the outer end of the tube 8. A second pin 5| is carried in a rigid manner by a hollow boss 52 which extends intov the gear case 3. An annular disk-like member 53 carries an eccentric bearing member 54 which is journaled to the pin 5| for movement about the pin axis. This member is provided at its outer edge with a bearing member 55 which engages with a bearing 56 carried bx the sheet metal drum 1 of the roll.

The members 46 and 53 are provided with suitable openings. 51 and 58 for receiving the ends of a rod 68. 'I'his rod is pinned at 6| to the member 53 and at its opposite end it is formed with a rounded portion 62 for permitting relative movement between the rod and the member 46 so that one end of the roll may shift with respect to the oppsite end for applying uniform ironing pressure to articles of non-uniform thickness..

Theaxis of the roll is shifted by means of a rod 63 secured in the ends of a pair of crank arms 64 and 65, the opposite ends of which are mounted for movement in suitable bearings 66 and 61, one of which is provided in the member 58 and the other of which is provided in a member 68 carried by the inner end of the tube 8. I'he crank arm 64 is'provided with a pin 18 which is journaled in the bearing 66.

The crank arm is fastened to a shaft 1| which projects through the bearing 61 and extends. beyond the end of the roll and into the space defined between a gear case cover 12 and the side wall 13 of the gear case. This end. of the shaft 1| carries .a crank member 14. A connecting rod 15 is secured to this member. The

connecting rod is journaled on a pin 16 carried by the crank member 14 and at its opposite end 'it is journaled on a pin 11 carried by a plate 18 driven member of a clutch construction which is supported on the shaft 24.

The clutch mechanism is adapted for rotative movement by steps of substantially one hundred and eighty degrees and it serves to shift the connecting rod 15 and its associated members to one or the other of the two predetermined positions corresponding to the positions of the roll illustrated in Figures 2 and 4. The movement of the member 63 is transferred to the roll by means of the springs 88 and 8|, the opposite ends of which are secured to the rods 68 and 88. The movement of the rod 68 is transferred to the members 46 and 53 and in this way the roll is shifted into resilient pressing engagement with the shoe 2.

The details of the clutch construction are best illustrated in Figures 5 and 6. The driven member 82 of thel clutch is received within a cupshaped housing member 83 which is pinned at 84 to the shaft 24, the cup-shaped member 83 constituting the driving part of the clutch. The driven part 82 of the clutch has the plate member 18 xedly secured thereto. This plate member as has been stated, carries the bearing pin 11 of the connecting rod 15.

Oppositely acting 'cam faces 85 and 88 are formed in the driven member of the clutch. Rollers or spheres 81 and 88 are fitted in the space between the cam faces 85 and 86 and the rim 98 of the driving clutch member 83. Springs 8| and 92 serve to urge the rollers into driving engagement with the interacting clutch parts. The driven member 82 of the clutch is provided with a bearing 83 for freely receiving the outer end of the shaft 24.

An .operating member 94 is journaled on the bearing 93. 'I'his member comprises an arm having an inwardly extending nger 95 for engaging the roller 88 and it projects beyond thev rim of the clutch part 83 where it has a second finger 86. The second finger is adapted to engage with stops 91 and 9.8 carried by the ends of bell cranks |88 and |8| which are pivoted at |82 and |83 to the gear case 3. The opposite ends of the bell crank members are articulated to each other by means of a pin |84 which is engaged by a control |81 which is pivotedl at |88 to a bracket l|8 car' ried by the base member 5 of the frame of the machine. The f ree end of the lever |81 may be connected to any suitable manual foot or knee.

operated controlling member as for example a rod I|| which extends from one end to the other of the machine at a point just beneath the supporting base 5. When this form of construction is used a lever and bracket similar to the lever |81 and bracket ||8 are provided for the rod III at the end of the machine remotefrom the gear case.

'I'he bell cranks are provided with bent-over portions Il! and H8 which provide stops to limit their inward movement. A spring |I4 is provided to urge the bell cranks to the position shown in Figure 2. A nut H8 engaging the` outer end of the shaft 24 is provided for holding the clutch parts in assembled relation.

The plate 18, carried by the driven member 82 of the clutch, is provided with a cam face .M8

which extends over `the rim 88 of the drivini an arm I I carried by a shaft I I 8 vwhich traverses the wall 'I3 of the gear case and which is journaled in a boss |20 formed thereat. The inner is in the position shown in Figure 4, which corresponds to the inoperative positionof the machine. When the clutch parts are rotated approximately one hundred and eighty degrees" from the position shown in Figure 4 they assume a position corresponding to the operative position of the machine as'illustrated in Figure 2, whereupon the cam member ||6 is moved away from the arm allowing the gear carrying member 33 to assume the position shown in Figures 1 and 3, in which position the roll and shoe'are in contact with each other and the roll is slowly rotated by means of the motor 6 and the gears 2|, 22, 3|, 35 and 36.

The clutch stops 91 and 98 are arranged so that in both of the stopped positions of the clutch the springs and 8| transmit a force by way of the connecting rod 'I5 and the other associated elements, tending to continue the rotation of the driven clutch part after the disengagement of the roller 88. 'Ihis serves to force the roller 88 to a fully retracted position and prevent friction between the roller and the driven and driving clutch parts. Further` rotation of the driven clutch part by the springs 80 and 8| is prevented by the member 94 which. is held in place by either one of the stops 91 or 98.

As a means for ,independently controlling the rotation of the Ashoe there is provided a slidable rod |22 accessible from the exterior of the machine and provided with a handle |23. When this rod is moved upwardly it shifts an operating arm |24, rigid with the arm II'I, therby disengaging the gears 22 and 3| and preventing the rotation of the roll by the power means; In this kposition of the roll drive, the roll can be freely rotated by hand in either direction and its shifting mechanism may-be operated'for moving the roll toward and away from the shoe for pressing and other operations.

The outer end of the gear carrying arm 33 carries a spring |25 which engages with a stop |26 carried by the wall of the gear case. These elements are provided for the purpose of limiting the upward movement of the gear 3| and its supporting arm 33.

The supporting standards 4 for the shoe may be formed from metal stampings and they are each provided at their upper ends withaI bushing |2'I in which is rotatablymounted thecylindrical'block |28. The ironer shown is provided with an oii'set portion |38 at each end thereof. The end portions of the shoe are pivotally and eccentrically connected by means of bolts |3| to the members |28. Bolts |32 are used to hold the members |28 in place.

The members |28 are connected to each other by means of a rod |33 whichextends above the upper edge of the'shoe andaround the outer end parts thereof. By means of the rod |33 the shoe can'be moved to a position away vfrom and behind the roll for cleaning and other purposes.

.This shoe release isv also provided for safety purposes for quickly releasing the shoe from the roll in case of accident as where a person would accidentally get their' fingers or clothing between the roll and the shoe during the operation of the machine.

The arms 4 each carry stops |34 and |35 for the end portions of the rod |33. Suitable stops |36 and |31 cooperating with the member |30, are provided by the member |28 for limiting the movement of the shoe about the bearing provided by the bolts 3|.

The shoe construction herein `shown comprises a heated face platev |38, the upper end of which is turned over as shown at |48. An electric resistance heating element |4| is carried by the shoe. Suitable heat insulating material |42 is provided behind the heating element and a coverA |43 having one end received beneaththe turned over part of the shoe is secured in a removable manner by means of studs |44 carried at the rear of the plate |38 and nuts |45. This form of shoe construction is inexpensive to build and is easy to assemble' and to take apart for servicing or other reasons.

Certain details such as the wiring connections and switches have been omitted from this disclosure as such elements are well understood and they do not by themselves form a part of the present invention.

Furthermore it is to be understood that the particularforms of apparatus shown and described, and the particular procedure set forth are presented for purposes of explanation and lthat various modifications of said apparatus f centrically connecting the vfixed elements of said shoe to said members, and a handle for rotating said members for moving said shoe into ironing position and for bodily displacing it therefrom.

2. In an ironing machine, cooperating ironing elements -comprising a padded element and a heated shoe, means for heating said shoefand a support lfor said shoe comprising a pair of spaced standards, a member journaled in one end of aboveV the top of said shoe connecting said`members to each other and operable for rotating the same about their axis, shoe supporting means rpivotally connecting the end parts of said shoe v eccentrically to `said members whereby said shoe may be brought into and out of cooperative relation with said padded ironing element, and stops provided onsaid members cooperating with a fixed part of said'shoe for limiting the movement of said shoe about said members.

3. In an ironing machine, cooperating ironing 'each of said standards, a cross bar extending V ".f'otall'y' connecting the-end parts of said shoe to said members eccentrically thereof whereby said shoe may be brought into and out of cooperating relation with said padded ironingmember, stop means rigid with one of said members for limiting the movement of said shoe about its pivoted ber for said shoe, a rotatable member. journaled in said supporting member, pivotal connections between the offset member of said shoe and said 'v rotatable member and arranged eccentrically of the latter, means for turning said rotatable member about its axis for displacing said shoe from ironing position, and cooperating stop means carried by said rotatable member and shoe for limiting the movement of said shoe about its pivotal connections. l

5. In an ironing machine, cooperating ironing elements comprising a padded member and a heated member, means for heating said heated member, a support for said padded member, and a support for said heated member comprising a standard, a rotatable member journaled in said standard, means pivotally connecting said heated member to said rotatable member eccentrically of 'the axis thereof, means for shifting said heated member about the axis of said rotatable member for moving said heated member from ironing position, and stop means carried 4by said rotatable member and engageable with a part iixed to said heated member for limiting the movement of said heated member about its pivotal connection with said rotatable member.

6. In an ironing machine, cooperating ironing elements comprising a padded member mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis and a heated member alongside said padded member, power means for eiecting pressing engagement between said members, means for heating said heated member, a support for said padded member, and a support for said heated member comprising a standard, a rotatable member journaled in said standard for movement about an axis parallel to the axis of said padded member, means pivotally connecting said heated member to said rotatable member eccentrically of the axis thereof, means for shifting the pivotal connection of said heated member about the axis of said rotatable member for moving said heated member from ironing position, and stop means carried by said standard and engageable with a part fixed'to said last named means for limiting the movement thereof.

'7. In an ironing machine, in combination, cooperating ironing members comprising a padded rotatable roll and a heated member, means for heating said heated member, means for supporting said heated member alongside of said roll, means inside said roll comprising a flattened, non-circular tube and roll bearings pivotally carried eccentrically of the roll axis for supporting 'said roll for rotative and bodily movement about and relative to said tube, and power means, including driving elements inside said tube, for rotating said roll and means comprising a crankA member operatively connected to said ball bearing and pivoted from a point closely adjacent to one of the wider sides of saidtube and substan-v tially coinciding with the medial line thereof for moving said roll into pressing contact with said A heated member, the major cross-sectional dimension of `said tube being substantially in line 'with the resultant of the reacting forces between said ironing members when they are in pressing contact with each other.

8. In' an ironing machine, in combination, cooperating ironing members comprising a padded rotatable `ro1l and a heated member, means for heating said heated member, means`for supporting said heated member alongside of said roll, means inside said roll comprising a flattened, noncircular tube and roll bearings pivotally carried eccentrically of the roll axis for supporting said roll for rotative and bodily movement about and relative to said tube, and power means, including a driving shaft in said tube, for rotating said roll and means inside said tube comprising a crank member operatively connected to said roll bearing and pivoted from a point closely adjacent to one of the wider sides of said tube and substantially coinciding with the medial line thereof for moving said roll into pressing contact with said heated member, the major cross-sectional dimension of said tube-being in the same general direcltion as that of the bodily movement of said rol 9. In an ironing machine, in combination, cooperating ironing members comprising a padded rotatable roll and a heated member, means for heating said member, means for supporting said heated member along side of said roll, means inside said roll comprising a rigid, flattened, noncircular supporting tube and roll bearings pivmajor cross-sectional dimension of' said tube beingsubstantially in the same general direction as that of the bodily movement of said roll, andv means including a-removable threaded member accessible from the exterior of said roll for detachably securing said roll in place and for connecting it to lits driving shaft.

10. In an ironing machine in combination, ironing members comprising a padded rotatable roll and a heated member, means for supporting said heated member 'alongside of said roll having apart therebelow providing a work receiving surface for ironed articles, means for heating said heated member, means for supporting said roll solely from one end thereof, said roll supporting means comprising a g'ear case and a rigid member extending laterally therefrom and into said roll, said'gear case having its lower portion laterally offset in a direction away from said shoe, and power means, including gearing in said gear case, for rotating the roll and moving one of said ironing elements into pressing engagement with the other, said power means and the means for supporting said ironing members be-- case for the accommodation of articles ironedv at this end of the roll whereby such articles are not subjected to excessive wrinkling as they lie on the work receiving surface. i

11.111 an ironing machine -in combination, ironing members comprising a padded rotatable roll and a heated member, means for supporting said heated member alongside of said roll having a part therebelow providing a work receiving surface for ironed articles, means for heatingsaid heated member, means for supporting said roll solely from one end thereof, said roll supporting means comprising a gear case and a supporting member extending` laterally therefrom and into said roll, said gear case having its lower portion laterally oifset in a direction away from said shoe, and power means, including gearing in said gear case, for rotating the roll and for moving it into pressing engagement with said heated member, said power means and the means for supporting said ironing members being configurated and disposed so as to provide on Athe work receiving surface an unobstructed space of substantial width at and outwardly beyond the end v of theroll adjacent to ysaid gear case for the accommodation of articles ironed at this end of the roll whereby such articles arenot subjected to excessive wrinkling as they lie on the work receiving surface.

12. In an ironing machine in combination,

ironing members comprising a padded rotatable roll and a heated member, means for supporting said heated member alongside of said roll having a part therebelow providing a work receiving surface for ironed articles, means for heating said heated member, means for supporting said roll solely from one end thereof, said roll supporting means comprising a gear case and va roll supporting member extending laterally therefrom and into said roll, said gear case having a rounded upper portion coaxial with the roll and of smaller diameter than that of the roll and having its lower portion laterally offset in a direction away from said shoe, and power means, including gearing in said gearcase,A for rotating the roll and moving one of said ironing elements into pressing engagement with the other, said power means and the means for supporting said ironing members being` configurated and disposed so as to Vprovide on the work receiving surface an unobstructed space of substantial width at and outwardly beyond the end of the roll adjacent to said gear case for the accommodation of articles ironed at this end of the roll whereby such articles are not subjected to excessive wrinkling as they lie on the work receiving surface.

13. In an ironing machine in combination, ironing members comprising a padded rotatable roll and a heated member, means for supporting said heated member alongside of said roll having a part therebelow providing a work receiving surface for ironed articles, means for heating said heated member, means for supporting said roll solely from one end thereof, said roll' supporting means comprising a gear case' and a rigid member extending laterally therefrom l:and into said roll, said gear case having its lower portion laterally offset inel direction away from said shoe, and power means,` including gearing in said gear case and a motor therebelow for rotating the roll and moving one of said ironing elements into pressing engagement with the other, said gearing comprising aflexible driving element and a worm gear, said power means'and the means for supporting said ironing members being congurated and disposed so as to provide on the work receiving surface an unobstructed space of substantial width at and outwardly beyond the end of the roll adjacent to said gear case for the accommodation of articles .ironed at this end of the roll whereby such articles are not subjected to excessive wrinkling as they lie on the work receiving surface.

14. In an ironing machine in combination,

`ironing members comprising a padded rotatable roll and a heated member, means for supporting said heated member alongside of said roll having a part therebelow providing a work receiving surface for ironed articles, means for` heating said heated member, means for` supporting said roll solely from one'end thereof, said rollsup- -porting means comprising a gear case and a roll supporting member extending laterally there- .f from and into said roll, said gear case having a rounded upper portion coaxial with the roll, and

of smaller 'diameter than that of theroll and a portion therebeneath having a width not exceedingthe diameter' of the roll'and power means, including gearing in said gear case,for

rotating the roll and moving one of said ironing 

